Display-rack.



E. G. BENNETT.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION TILED OUT. 10, 1911 Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Jayme 6i fienneit wi mmo E. G. BENNETT.

DISPLAY RACK. APPLICATION FILED 0( T.10 1911.

1,077,788. Patented N0v.4, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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E. G. BENNETT.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLIOATION FILED 0OT.10, 1911.

Patented N0 v. 4, 1913.

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EUGENE G. BENNETT, or CARTHAGE, MISSOURI.

DISPLAY-RACK.

mamas.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4,1913.

Application filed October 10, 1911. Serial No. 653,780.

To all whom'it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE G. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carthage, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and novel improvements in display racks.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide a device having a plurality of rotatable screens and which includes mechanism whereby the screens are successively rotated approximately one half of a circle and thence returned one by one to their initial point so that both sides of the screens will be displayed.

1 also aim to provide a device of this character with a shifting mechanism which is controlled entirely by one of the screens whereby the movement of the screens is automatically reversed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a display rack which contemplates the desirable features of simplicity, cheapness and durability.

lVith the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and operative combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed. V

In the drawings,'Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 4: is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating the manner of connecting one of the screens with the lower portion of the screen supporting shaft. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of a modified form of screen shifting apparatus. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the upper portion of the post 37 showing in section the removable top or cap arranged thereon, and Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 8-9 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates a substantially recthe same comprising a boxlike structure having a top 2 and sides and ends 3. Upon the under face of the top 2 is a pair of spaced journals t, the same forming bearings for a shaft This shaft is extended through a suitable opening in i one of the sidesor ends and is provided with a pulley wheel 6, the same being adapted for the reception of a belt-which is connected with some suitable motive power, not shown.

If desired, however, the shaft 5 may be 'directly connected with the motor. Arranged centrally of the bottom of the top 2 is a toothed wheel 7, the same being provided with a hub 8 which projects through an opening in the top 2 of the device, and the projecting portion of the said hub is provided with an integrally formed flange 9, which contacts with a suitable bearing or collar '10, which is arranged within the opening in the top.

The toothed wheel 7 is arranged directly above the shaft 5 and mounted upon the said shaft is a slidable sleeve 11. This sleeve is provided with an elongated slot. 12, and the shaft is provided with suitable pins 13 which project through the slot to.cause the sleeve to rotate with the shaft. The sleeve 11 is provided upon its opposite ends with suitable collars 14:, and the said collars are each provided with studs 15, the same extending in opposite directions as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The numerals 16 and 17 indicate toothed pinions which are loosely mounted upon the shaft. 5, and which engage with the toothed wheel 7 at diametrically opposite points and adjacent the ends or collars 14 of the sleeve 11. These pinions are each provided with suitable hubs 18, and the said hubs may be formed with any suitable means for retaining the pinions in mesh with the toothed wheel 7, as for instance the shaft 5 may be provided with suitable annular grooves 19 and the hubs provided with suitable pins engaging within said grooves. Each of the pinions 18 and 17 is provided with a finger 21, the said finger projecting toward the ends of the sleeve 11. Each of the said fingers is adapted to be contacted by'one of the studs 15 when the sleeve is shifted upon the shaft 5 toward one of the pinions and in a manner now to be described.

The numerals21 and 22 designate suitable levers which are pivotally connected as at 23 and 24 to the bottom of the top 2. Ihese levers preferably have one of their extremities bifurcated, and the said bifurcated portion is adapted to engage the opposite faces of the sleeve 11, and the said bifurcated portion of each of the levers is t arranged within the path of one of the collars 14, so that when either of the said levers is swung upon its pivot the sleeve 11 will be moved in one direction so as to cause its stud to contact with one of the pinions and thus revolve the said pinion while the opposite pinion revolves loosely upon the shaft 5. Pivotally connected with the extremities of the levers 21 and 22 are rods and 26,

the said rods each having its free extremity loosely connected to an off-set arm 27 provided upon a vertically extending member 28. Each of these members projects through elongated openings provided in the top 2, a suitable distance thereabove. The members 23, together with the rods 26'and levers 22 will hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, be referred to as the shifting mech anism, as the said elements are adapted to be actuated in a manner hereinafter described so as to slide the sleeve 11- in opposite directions to cause either of the pinions 16 and 17 to rotate with the shaft 5.

The hub 8 of the toothed Wheel 7 above it flange 9 is formed with a reduced threaded extension 29, the same being adapted to receive an arm 30 and the said arm is retained tightly upon the upper face of the hub through the medium of a nut 31 which engages with the threaded extension 29. It is, of course, obvious that the arm 30 may be secured to the hub 8 by other means, as for instance the extension 29 need not be threaded but may be of an angular formation, and the opening in the arm being of a corresponding shape or the arm may be riveted or otherwise secured to the hub if desired.

Mounted for slidable movement upon the arm 30 i a sleeve 32, the same being provided with an upwardly extending spring finger 33 and downwardly extending nonresilient finger34, the purpose of which will presently be set forth.

The base 1 is centrally provided with a spiral track 35. Securedto the sides of the base 1, and overlying the spiral track 35 is a frame 36. This frame is provided with a lip or extension which is disposed centrally of the spiral track and which is adapted to serve as a bearing or support for a vertically arranged post 37. The postis provided adjacent its bearing, and, if desirable, adjacent vits top, with a plurality of annular grooves 38.

The numerals 39 designate the display screens for the device. The screens shown in the drawings each comprise a substantially rectangular member, and each of thescreens has its inner edge provided adjacent its top with an eye 40, and is further provided adjacent its bottom with a yoke-shaped member 41. The yoke 41 is of a size sufficient to snugly engage within any of the grooves 38, while the eye 40 has a larger area than the cross sectional diameter of the post 37. In arranging the screens upon the post, the eye is first inserted over the post while the screen is held at an angle to the post. When the eye is arranged in a. proper position upon the post, the screen is forced toward the post .to permit of its yoke 41 being received in its particular groove 38. In the showing of Fig. 1 of the drawings the post 37 is provided with a head, which is, of course, removable to permit of the screens being properly arranged upon the post.

I The lower longitudinal edge of each of the screens 39 is provided with a downwardly projecting finger 42. hen the screens are all arranged upon the post the fingers 42 will be spaced away from each other, so that each of the said fingers is disposed almost directly above each of the grooves provided by the spiral track 35.

The first and last screen members of the series are also provided with depending lugs 43 and 44 respectively, and when the device is in the position illustrated in F ig. 4 of the drawings, the lug 44 is brought into contact with the member 28 of the shifting mechanism to slide the sleeve 11 to bring the stud 15 into contact with the pin 21 of the pinion 16, thus causing the said pinion to be revolved with the shaft 5 and to cause the toothed wheel 7 to be rotated in one direction. The rotation of the said toothed wheel will of course cause the arm 30 to be swung in the direction of the rotation of the said wheel, and the spring finger 34 of the said arm will contact with one of the fingers 32 of one of the screens 39 causing the said screen tobe swung upon the post 37 until contacted by the support 36. The finger 33 being constructed of resilient material willbend below the finger 32 with which the same engages, after the screen has been swung into-contact with the longitudinal edges of the post supporting member or frame 36. In this connection it should be stated that the spring finger 33 is of a width suflicient to permit of its contact with any of the fingers 32 irrespective of the path of travel of the arm 30 so that said finger can perform its useful function in both swinging the screens to one position and returning the same to their initial position. The longitudinal member of the support 36 is provided with flattened spring elements 45, the same adapted to prevent the violent contact of the screen with the support, as well as to serve as a catch to sustain the screen against accidental movement after being engaged thereby. During the operation, the finger 34 of the boxing 32 will travel around the spiral track so as to slide the said boxing upon the arm 30. This operation continues until the last screen is revolved when the lug thereon will contact with the member 28 of the shifting mechanism which slides the sleeve in an oppoupon the arm 4-6 so as site direction so as to bring the stud 15 into 7 contact with the finger of the pinion '17, which, of course, reverses the direction of travel of the screens. IVhen the last screen,

which was thefirst to be operated upon, is returned to its initial position, it will conscreens, as above described, continues as seen as the motive power is applied.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a slightly modified form for shifting the boxing upon its arm. In this figure the arm which is designated by the numeral 46 is provided with a slidable sleeve or boxing 47, the said boxing being provided with an upstanding spring finger 18 which is adapted to contact with the extending fingers of the screens. The boxing is also provided upon its lower face with a depending port-ion 49, the same having a threaded bore through which extends a threaded shaft 50. The extremity of, the shaft is provided with a toothed wheel 51, and arranged upon the top of the base is a lug 52, the same being within the path of the wheel 51 and adapted to contact with the same as the arm 46 is swung upon its rod or post. By this arrangement it will be readily noted that the revolution of the wheel causes the box 47 to he slid to bring the spring finger 48 within the path of contact with the finger of the next screen to be reversed.

The lug 52 is in the nature of a tooth or teeth secured to the top of the base 1, at a desired point, and the toothed wheel 51 is sustained in an elevated position against contact with said face of the base, so that the screw is not revolved until the wheel 51 contacts with the lug 52. The numeral 52' designates a guide or bearing member for the threaded shank or screw 50, the same being secured upon the arm 46 at the outer terminal thereof.

From the above descripti0n,'taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be noted that the operation of the de vice is continuous and that articles arranged upon both of the faces of the screens will be displayed when the device is placed in a show window or the like.

It will be further noted that the distance of travel of the arm connected with the hub of the operating toothed wheel is sufficient to allow ample time for the observation of the articles arranged upon' the screens and furthermore to permit of the screen being revolved at any desired rate of speed.

' IIaving'thus described the invention, what I claim is 1.111 a device for the purpose set forth, a plurality of rotatable screens, means for rotating the screens, means for halting the movement of the screens at prearranged points, and means'connected with both the first and the last screens and cooperating with the rotating means for continuously reversing the direction of movement of the screens when all of the screens have reached the limit of their movement in either direction of travel.

' 2. In a display apparatus, a plurality of screens, a rotatable member, a slidable membermounted upon the rotatable member and adapted to contact each screen successively to swing all of the screens a predetermined distance, means for halting and sustaining each and all of the screens at their limit of travel in one direction, and'means actuated by one of the screens to reverse the travel of the rotatable and slidable member for.

successively returning the screens to their initial position.

3. In a device for the purpose set forth, a post, screens upon the post, each of the screens being provided with a downwardly extending finger, a revoluble member, an arm carried by the said member, a stop member for the screens, a spring buffer serving as a catch for the screens, a resilient finger upon the arm and adapted to contact with the fingers of the screens and to be bent below the fingers afterv the same have engaged with the stop-member, means for actuating the revoluble member, and means for sliding the sleeve so as to bring its resilient finger consecutively into engagement with the depending fingers of each of the screens.

4. In a device for the purpose set forth, I

the post, means actuated by the shaft for moving the screens one by one in one direction, halting means for the screen, and means also cooperating with the shaft and adapted to be actuated by one of the screens for reversing the direction of travel of the screens. I

6. In a device for the purpose set forth, a base, a post upon the base, said post being provided with a plurality of annular spaced grooves, a plurality of screens, each of said screens having their lower ends bifurcated to engage the grooves, the upper extremities of the screens being provided with loops to engage the grooves at theupper ends of the for halting the movement of the screens,

means for retaining the screens in their; halted position, means including members provided upon both the first and the last screens of the series for reversing the movement of travel of the said screens. a

7. In a device for the purpose set forth, a base, a post mounted upon the base, .aplurality of removable screens mounted uponv the post, a revoluble member provided upon the base, a hub for the member, means for rotating themember, an arm connected with I the hub, a sliding sleeve upon the arm, a spring finger carried by the sleeve, a depending finger also carried bythe sleeve, each of the screens being provided'with a depending finger, said depending fingers adapted to coact successively with the spring finger, and means co-acting with the depending finger of the sleeve for sliding the sleeve laterally upon the arm for successively bringing the spring finger of the sleeve into coaction with the depending fingers of each of the sleeves. g

8. In a device for the purpose set forth, a post, a plurality of screens for the post, and means for rotating the screens in opposite directions, said post being provided at its lower extremity with a plurality of annular grooves, the post being further provided at its upper extremity with similar grooves, each of the screens having their lower eX- tremities provided with bifurcated extensions, and each of the screens having their upper extremities provided with loops engaging with the annular depressions of the posts, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination with a post, a toothed wheel mounted upon the post, a shaft for the wheel, an arm attached to the shaft, a sleeve upon the arm, a depending. finger upon the sleeve, a projecting spring finger upon the sleeve, a frame upon the base, a post upon the frame, a plurality of screens removably connected with the post, each of said screens being provided with a depend ing finger, operating mechanism for swinging the screens upon the post, a spiral track upon the base adapted to be engaged by the lower finger of the sleeve to bring the upper. spring finger of the same successively into engagement with each of the screens, means for halting and buffering the screens at their limit of travel in either direction, and means actuated by the screens and cooperating with the operating mechanism for reversing the movement of the saidscreens one after another after the last screen has been rotated to its limit of travel.

10. In a display apparatus, a base, a rotatable member mounted upon the base, means for operating the rotatable member in either direction, a hub connected with the rotatable member, a removable arm upon the hub, a slidable sleeve upon the arm, said sleeve havthe post, each of said screens being pronovmmss ing an upwardly extending resilient finger and a downwardly depending finger, a frame, connected with the base, a post upon the. frame, removable screens connected with vided with a depending port-ion each adapted to successively be en aged-with the resilient finger of the sleeve when the arm is rotated, means for reversing the movement of therotatable member to reverse the movementof the screens so as to consecutively and independently swing each of the screens backwardly and forwardly over thebase.

11. In a device for the purpose set forth, a base, a member provided with a hub-upon the base, means for rotating the member, an arm upon; the hub, a sleeve upon the arm, means provided upon the base for sliding the sleeve either direction upon the arm, said sleeve being provided with a spring finger, a frame'upon the base, a post upon the frame, a plurality of removable screens upon the post, a depending member upon each of the screens, and each of the depending members adapted to be successively engaged by the spring fingerof the sleeve to rotate the screens upon the post until contacted the frame of the base, the said spring finger adapted to bend beneath the depending members to permit of the continuous rotation of the arm to allow the finger of said sleeve engaging with the depending member of the succeeding screen, and members operated by the second and last named screens for reversing the travel of the rotatable member after all of the series of screens have been arranged adjacent one of the sides of the frame.

12. In a device for the purpose set forth, a toothed wheel, means for revolving the toothed wheel, a shaft, toothed pinions upon the shaft and meshing with the toothed wheel, a sleeve upon the shaft, clutch members connected with the sleeve and adapted, when the sleeve is slid upon the shaft, to 110 lock one of the pinions into positive engagement with the toothed wheel, mechanism for sliding the sleeve upon the shaft, a plurality of revoluble screens, a member connected with the hub of the toothed wheel 115 and .coacting with each of the screens for revolving the said screens, and mechanism arranged upon the first and last screens and co-acting with the clutch operating mechanism for operating the same to swing the 120 sleeve :tobring the loose pinion into positive engagement with the toothed wheel and the second pinion out of positive engagement with thesai'd wheel when either the first or last screen has been rotated a predeter- 125 mined distance.

13. In a device for the purpose set forth, a base, a frame upon the base and arranged at approximately one-half of the length of the base, a post mounted upon the frame, a 130 plurality of removable screens upon the post, each of said screens being provided with a depending finger, a spring screen buffer and retaining member upon the frame, a revoluble member secured to the under face of the base, a hub for the memher, a removable arm connected with the hub, a sliding member upon the arm, a resilient finger for the sliding member adapted to be arranged in the path of any of the depending fingers of the screens, means coacting with the arm and arranged upon the base for moving the slidable member upon the arm to bring its finger successively into engagement with the fingers of the screens, a shaft arranged below the revo-luble member, wheels loosely mounted upon the shaft and co-acting with the revoluble member, a sleeve slidably mounted upon the shaft, clutch members carried by the sleeve and adapted to co-act with either of said wheels to bring one of said wheels into positive engagement with the shaft, mechanism for sliding the sleeve, and means provided upon the first and last named screens for actuating the said mechanism to reverse the direction of swing of the screens, and means for rotating the shaft.

14-. In a device for the purpose set forth, a base, a toothed wheel having a hub arranged upon the base, a shaft disposedbelow the toothed wheel, a sleeve upon the shaft, pinions loosely mounted upon the shaft and co-acting with the toothed wheel,

clutch members arranged upon the sleeve and adapted to engage with either of the pinions to bring one of the saidipinions into engagement with the shaft, said means including a shifting mechanism comprising a plurality of levers, one of said levers eX- tending above the base and provided with a finger, an arm upon the hub, a slidable member upon the arm, means arranged upon the base and co-acting with the slidable 'member for moving the same upon the arm as the arm is rotated over the base, means for operating the shaft to impart motion to the toothed wheel and to the arm, the sliding member being provided'with a finger, a post arranged upon the frame, a plurality ofscreens arranged upon the post, each of said screensbeing provided with a dependingfinger which is adapted to co-act with the projecting finger of the sliding member of the arm, and means provided upon the first and last named screen and adapted to co-act with the levers of the shifting mechanism projecting above the base for operating the shifting mechanism to reverse the direction of travel of the screens.

15. In a device for the purpose set forth, a post, said post having both its upper and lower extremities provided with annular grooves, screens, said screens having their upper extremities provided with loops adapted to engage with the grooves at the upper end of the post, and the said screens having their lower extremities provided with bifurcated arms adapted to engage with the lower annular grooves of the post.

In testimony whereof I am my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE G. BENNETT.

Witnesses:

C. B. STICKNEY, FRANK BENNETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

